


the bargain

by Dahlia_Rose_83



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: First Time, Half Blood Prince AU, Hogwarts Sixth Year, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Room of Requirement, Sirius Black Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-10
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-08-21 13:15:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16577204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dahlia_Rose_83/pseuds/Dahlia_Rose_83
Summary: Harry will do anything to find out what Malfoy is up to. Even make a bargain with the blond devil himself. But what if this leads to something that neither boy expected?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This idea has been stuck in my head for ages.

Draco Malfoy was up to something. Harry was sure of it. He had no idea what it was, but it would definitely be something evil. Malfoy was a Death Eater after all. He was sure of that as well. Unfortunately no-one wanted to believe Harry. Dumbledore just kept telling him to stay away from Malfoy, while the Weasley's and Remus agreed that the blond was too young to be a Death Eater. 

He rarely got a chance to speak to Hermione these days, since she seemed even more engrossed in studying than usual. She practically lived in the library ever since Ron and Lavender had gotten together. And the red-head now spent all of his free time lip-locked with his annoying girlfriend. When either of his friends did find the time to listen to Harry rant about Malfoy, they both only told him to stop obsessing over the Slytherin.

They just didn't get it. None of them did. The only one who took Harry's concerns seriously (no pun intended) was Sirius. When Harry had told him about his theory, he'd nodded and agreed that it was entirely possible that Voldemort might be using Malfoy for his plans. 

“If your gut tells you he's up to something, then you should keep an eye on him. Try to get proof.” he'd advised.

Glad that at least someone believed him and fully on board with that idea, Harry decided to do just that. So he watched Malfoy closely during the day, followed him under the invisibility cloak between classes and tracked his movements on the Marauder's Map in the evenings. 

The only thing he'd found out so far was that the Slytherin was spending an awful lot of time in the room of requirement. But despite his best efforts he hadn't found out what Malfoy was doing in there. He'd tried countless phrases to get the room to show him, but none of them worked. Giving up on that plan, he started waiting in front of the room, hidden by his cloak, hoping to catch a glimpse inside when Malfoy came out. 

But the blond was always very careful. Opening the door just a crack, just enough to slip through and then quickly pushing it closed again, before Harry even got near it. 

The Gryffindor was starting to wonder if he'd somehow given himself away. If maybe Malfoy knew that he was there, waiting for him. The blond knew about his cloak, after all. But even if he realized that Harry was there, he couldn't know where exactly. So Harry decided that he just had to wait. Sooner or later Malfoy would slip. He would let his guard down long enough for the Gryffindor to make a move. It was only a matter of time.

Malfoy looked so worn out and tired lately. He was even paler than usual and there were dark circles beneath his eyes. The younger boy had noticed that he couldn't concentrate properly in class. Soon his concentration would lessen even more and he would slip. He would break his pattern. Harry was sure of it.

And he did break his pattern. Just not in the way the Gryffindor had expected. It was Wednesday night and Harry was waiting in his usual spot in the seventh floor corridor. He was half-asleep on his feet, having stayed up long into the night for three nights in a row, trying to catch Malfoy at it. He almost missed it when the door finally appeared.

Once he spied the door he got ready to pounce, but as always Malfoy slithered through the crack and the door vanished before Harry even got close. Only this time the blond didn't slink off towards the dungeons, like he usually did. Instead he leaned back against the wall with a tired sigh. The Gryffindor watched him curiously, noting again how bloody tired he looked.

“Don't you ever get tired of stalking me?” Malfoy suddenly spoke up.

Harry jumped and held his breath. Did the older boy really know that he was there? Maybe he just had an inkling and was trying to prove his theory. So if he just stayed really quiet...

“I know you're there, Potter. I can hear you breathing. You're really not that stealthy.”

Okay, so much for staying quiet. Hesitating only a second, he pulled off his cloak. Malfoy turned his head to look at him and didn't even flinch. Harry was disappointed. He had hoped for some kind of reaction.

“I know you're up to something.”  
“Obviously.” Malfoy drawled, not even bothering to deny it. “But you can't prove it, Potter.”  
“I'll get proof.” the Gryffindor growled, his hackles rising when the blond chuckled.  
“Oh yes, so far you've been doing a spectacular job.”

Something inside of him snapped at the jibe and before he really knew what he was doing, he'd pushed the blond against the wall, holding him in place with a strong grip on his upper arms.

“I will find out what you're up to. And then I'm going to stop you.” he vowed. 

To his shock the blond didn't even try to fight against the tight hold he had on him. He simply stood there and smiled and Harry wondered distantly when the hell the blond had gotten so cool. It used to take a lot less to get a rise out of him. Usually he'd be shouting insults and throwing punches by now. But he was still just standing there with a smile on his face, completely calm, even as Harry crowded him against the wall.

“You'll never find out what I'm doing in there.” he claimed. “Unless...”  
“Unless what?” Harry barked, thrown off-kilter by the blond's strange behaviour.  
“Unless I tell you.”  
“What?”  
“Do you want me to tell you?”

The Gryffindor let go of the other boy and took a step back, staring at Malfoy warily. There was something really strange going on here.

“What the hell are you on about?”  
“Well, you're so keen to find out what I'm up to. I could tell you.” Malfoy offered.  
“You'll tell me? Just like that?”

A sly smile spread over Malfoy's lips. Harry took another, involuntary step back.

“Of course not. Do I look like a Hufflepuff?” the blond asked with a scoff. When Harry didn't reply he went on: “I'm not going to spill all my secrets, just because you ask nicely. But... I might be up for a bargain.”

“A bargain?”  
“That means I get something in return.” Malfoy explained, rolling his eyes.  
“I know what it means!” Harry snapped. “What do you want then?”  
“In exchange for my secrets? Hmm.. let me think...”

Malfoy made a big show of thinking and Harry felt the familiar urge to strangle him. How could this boy be so damn infuriating? He didn't like the wicked glint that suddenly appeared in the blond's eyes.

“How about... spending the night with you?” Malfoy finally asked.  
The dark-haired boy blinked, caught by surprise yet again. “You want to sleep in Gryffindor tower?” he asked dumbly.  
Another eye-roll. “Merlin, you really are dense. I'm not talking about a sleep-over, Potter.”

“But you just said..”  
“I'm talking about a shag, you dimwit.”  
“You want...”  
“To shag you.”  
Harry gasped, shaking his head wildly. “No! No fucking way!”

Malfoy grinned. “No? That's a pity. You'll never find out what I'm doing then. And you won't be able to stop me. Can you really live with that? I could be up to something nefarious.”

He suddenly started advancing on Harry, who backed up until his back hit the wall. The blond leaned right into his personal space, bracing his arms on the wall on either side of Harry's head, effectively trapping him. He was way too close and Harry was starting to panic, overwhelmed by the situation and wondering how this could have gotten so out of hand.

“Think about it, Potter.” the blond breathed. “One night and I'll answer all of your questions. I'll tell you everything you want to know. About my plans. And the Dark Lord's plans... It would be a small price to pay, don't you think?”

Grey eyes bore into his and Harry forgot how to breathe. Then Malfoy pulled back and sauntered away. The Gryffindor gasped in lungfuls of air and sank down to the floor. Had that really just happened? Had Malfoy, his enemy, actually offered him information … in exchange for a shag? And what the hell was he supposed to do now?

***

Harry slept fitfully that night, his mind replaying the strange encounter over and over again, until he started to wonder if he hadn't just dreamed it in the first place. By the time he went down to breakfast he was almost ready to believe that he'd imagined the whole thing. 

But one look at the Slytherin table quickly proved him wrong. Despite looking pale and tired as ever, Malfoy grinned and even had the audacity to wink at him! Harry promptly inhaled his tea and had a coughing fit. Another look at the Slytherin table showed a snickering blond. Bastard!

For a moment his anger overruled everything else and he had to fight the urge to stomp over and punch the blond nuisance. But his thoughts quickly turned back to last night. So it hadn't been a dream. Malfoy had made the offer. But the question was – was he serious? Or was it just a new way of baiting Harry? What if he agreed, only to have the blond laughing in his face and running off to tell his friends?

And oh god, was he seriously considering it? Having sex with Malfoy, just to gain information? No. No way. He couldn't do it. He'd never had sex before. He'd only briefly dated Cho and they hadn't made it further than a few (very awkward) kisses. He sure as hell wouldn't lose his virginity to Malfoy of all people!

But what if the blond was doing something dangerous? Harry was sure that he was the one behind that necklace and Katie had almost gotten killed. What if it got worse next time? Wasn't it Harry's duty to stop him? No matter the cost? Especially since no-one wanted to believe him that the blond was up to something.

The thoughts kept going round and round in his head and he had no idea how he even made it through lessons on Thursday and Friday. He thought about asking Ron or Hermione for help, but quickly dismissed that idea. They would be shocked that he was even considering it. If they believed him at all. And despite him acting oddly, his two best friends were too preoccupied with their own lives to notice anything amiss.

In the end Harry turned to the only person he could think of asking. The only person who even believed him.

“There might be a way for me to find out what Malfoy is up to. But it's...”  
“Illegal? Dangerous? Reckless and stupid?” Sirius supplied.  
Harry smiled despite himself. “It's not illegal. At least I don't think it is. But pretty much all of the rest.”

“Do you think it's worth it?”  
The dark-haired boy shrugged. “He... might know more about Voldemort's plans. So I guess...”  
“Well... my advice would be to risk it. We'll need all the advantage we can get. But it's up to you, Harry.”

Harry nodded thoughtfully.  
“I mean, I don't want you risking your neck.” Sirius amended. “But if it's not too dangerous and if you think you'll gain important information, it might be worth a try.”  
“You're right. Thanks Sirius.”  
“Any time, Prongslet. Just be careful and try not to get into too much trouble.”  
“I'll try.” Harry promised, ending the conversation.

He put the two-way-mirror back into his trunk and then he just sat on his bed, staring off into space for what felt like hours. If he was quite honest with himself he'd made his decision long ago. Talking to Sirius had only strengthened his resolve. So why draw out the inevitable?

With a sigh he pulled out the Marauder's Map, searching for the tiny dot labelled 'Draco Malfoy'. When he couldn't find it he grabbed his cloak and headed up to the seventh floor to wait. This time he pulled off the cloak as soon as Malfoy stepped out of the room.

“I'll do it.”  
The blond regarded him with raised eyebrows.  
“The... the bargain. I'll do it.” Harry clarified.

He could see understanding dawning in those grey eyes, followed by surprise, before a slow, incredulous smile spread over Malfoy's lips. Harry was certain that the blond would start mocking him now, telling him it was all a joke. He almost hoped for it.

“Alright.”

He'd accepted. There was no going back now. They were doing this. Harry took a deep breath.

“Okay. Tell me what...”  
“Not so fast, Potter.” the Slytherin interrupted. “I'll answer your questions. After I've had you.”

The implication of those words made him blush, but Harry tried to ignore his discomfort and concentrate on his outrage.

“No way. How am I to know that you'll stick to the bargain. I want answers first.”  
To his surprise the blond smiled again.   
“Not quite as stupid as I thought. Good to know.” he murmured, before turning away abruptly. He started pacing in front of the wall, until a door appeared.

Harry felt a sense of victory. But it quickly dimmed when he entered to find a small room, with no furniture, except for a desk. Malfoy strolled in beside him and picked up a sheet of paper, examining it quickly, before holding it out to him.

“A contract. A magically binding one, to be exact. As soon as we both sign it, we're bound by it.” he explained.  
The Gryffindor looked sceptical. “And you expect me to just believe you?”  
“You can show it to your friend Granger first, if you prefer. Let her check it over.”

The thought of Hermione, of anyone really finding out about this made him feel sick. Malfoy probably knew that. To buy himself some time, he read over the contract:

 

>I, Harry James Potter, agree to spend one night with Draco Abraxas Malfoy. During this night I will obey his commands, as long as it doesn't bring harm to myself or others. In exchange, I, Draco Abraxas Malfoy, agree to answer every question Harry James Potter poses to me on the following day truthfully and completely.<

 

“Agreeable?” Malfoy asked.

Harry swallowed hard. He didn't like the thought of having to do whatever the Slytherin told him to. Especially knowing what it was the blond wanted. But the contract said that Malfoy couldn't hurt him or make him hurt others. And he would have to answer Harry's questions. All of his questions.

He handed the parchment back and watched as Malfoy signed it. His signature glowed for a moment, indicating that there was indeed some magic involved. Not giving himself a chance to back out, he quickly scribbled his own signature onto the parchment.

“When?”  
“Tomorrow. Meet me here after dinner.”

It was too soon. He didn't want it to happen so soon. On the other hand it would mean less time to fret about what was going to happen. He'd made his decision and there was no backing out. Better to get it over with quickly, he reasoned.

“Alright. Tomorrow.” Harry agreed.  
“Don't look so scared, Potter. When I'm done with you, you'll come crawling back for more.” the Slytherin promised.  
And Harry knew only one way to react to that. “You wish.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's part two. Please let me know what you think.

Harry woke on Saturday feeling edgy and nervous. Her forced himself to eat breakfast, barely hearing a word of what Ron was saying, too focused on not looking over at the Slytherin table. The red-head kept prattling on, completely oblivious to his best friend's inner turmoil. Harry was grateful for that. 

As much as he would have loved to talk to someone about his deal with Malfoy, he knew that he could never tell a soul. Especially not Ron. He wouldn't understand. Harry didn't understand it himself. He should have told Malfoy where to stick his outrageous suggestion and be done with it. Instead he'd agreed to it and even signed a contract. It had been a stupid thing to do. He knew that. But he also knew that he'd do it again. He needed to find out what the Slytherin was up to. No matter the cost.

After breakfast Ron was dragged off by Lavender. He shrugged apologetically and Harry just waved him off. He couldn't even muster the usual annoyance at the red-head's girlfriend. He moped around for a while, before joining Hermione in the library to catch up on homework.

They worked in silence, Harry too caught up in his troubles to strike up a conversation and Hermione completely focused on her studies. Harry was a little surprised that even the usually so perceptive girl didn't seem to notice that something was troubling him. He didn't know whether to feel glad that no-one was prodding him for information or saddened by the fact that his two best friends paid so little attention to him these days.

The only one who noticed that something was off was Neville. He sat next to Harry during lunch and commented on how jittery the other boy was. But when Harry smiled and claimed that the upcoming Potions test had him keyed up, he immediately bought the excuse and went back to talking about his newest plant.

Time seemed to accelerate after lunch and suddenly Harry found himself walking down to dinner, with no clear recollection of what he'd been doing all afternoon. He picked at his food while Ron rambled about Lavender and their plans for the evening. When the dinner plates vanished he looked over at the Slytherin table, just in time to see Malfoy get up. His eyes tracked the blond as he left the great hall without a backwards glance.

Finally Harry got up as well, mumbled an excuse to Ron and made his way to Gryffindor tower like a sleepwalker. He grabbed his invisibility cloak, hesitated a moment and then spelled the curtains of his four-poster shut. His room-mates wouldn't come back any time soon. Maybe they'd think he'd already gone to bed when they returned. Taking a deep breath he headed to the seventh floor.

***

When he reached the corridor there was no sign of Malfoy. But there was a door, which stood slightly ajar. He hesitated again, wondering for the hundredth time what he was even doing. But he'd agreed. He had to see this through. One way or another. Determined not to show weakness he opened the door fully and stepped inside.

The room wasn't what he'd been expecting. It was no dark torture chamber and no opulent, green-painted master bedroom either. No, it actually looked quite cosy, with the light-blue walls, throw rugs and the fire burning in the fireplace. There was a four-poster-bed in the corner, with crisp white sheets and fluffy looking pillows. It looked inviting. Or it would, if not for the clear implication of what was going to happen here tonight.

Harry turned away with a shudder and found Malfoy sitting in one of the squashy armchairs by the fire.

“I wasn't sure you'd actually show up.”  
The Gryffindor bristled. “I signed the contract, didn't I?”  
The blond shrugged and gestured to the other armchair. “Why don't you take a seat? Have a drink. I've only got hot chocolate and pumpkin juice, but I could call an elf if you want something else.”

Harry was tempted to agree. Having a drink actually sounded nice. But he knew that it would only draw out the inevitable. He was wound up. Buzzing with nervous energy. Had been all day. He just wanted to get it over with now.

“Can we just skip the niceties and get to the point?”  
Malfoy arched an eyebrow. “Eager, are we?”  
“Just shut up and... get on with it.” the younger boy snapped. He felt wrong-footed and incredibly self-conscious. What the hell had he been thinking, agreeing to this?

Malfoy got up and came closer. Harry flinched when the blond reached out to caress his cheek.  
“Relax. Don't be nervous.”

Was Malfoy actually trying to reassure him now? The Slytherin took another step closer. Harry could feel the warmth radiating from his body and suddenly found it hard to breathe.

“I'm going to kiss you.” the blond warned in a soft whisper. So different from the harsh tone he usually used. “Don't punch me.” he added as an afterthought.

Harry wanted to grin, but suddenly soft lips were touching his, gentle but insisted and he found himself kissing back automatically. It was so different from the kisses he'd shared with Cho. Malfoy wasn't crying for one thing, which was a relief. And he seemed to know exactly what he was doing. Harry found himself swaying closer and sighed when one of the blond's arms encircled his waist, while his free hand carded through the dark strands of his hair.

After what felt like forever they broke apart and he expected to see a triumphant smirk on the other boy's lips. Instead he was greeted by a gentle smile and a strangely open look in those grey eyes. Malfoy leaned in for another kiss, this one even better than the first. Harry's hands came up to clutch at the blond's shoulders and he wondered distantly where Malfoy had learned to kiss like that. Then the older boy's tongue slid against his lips, which he parted willingly and conscious thought became impossible.

Harry wasn't aware of anything but the blond boy in his arms and the wicked tongue duelling with his own. He wasn't even aware that they were moving, until the backs of his legs hit something soft and he toppled backwards onto the bed, taking Malfoy down with him.

They landed in a tangle of arms and legs. Malfoy laughed breathlessly, looking down at him with shining grey eyes and tousled hair and Harry wondered why he'd never before noticed just how beautiful the blond actually was. 

“Let's scoot up a bit. And take off your shoes.”

The quiet command made nervous anticipation flutter in his stomach. Harry complied wordlessly, kicking off his old trainers and scooting up, until he was lying with his head on the pillow. Malfoy pulled off his own shoes, before crawling in next to him. And then they were kissing again, hot and open-mouthed and Harry was shocked to realize that his jeans were getting too tight.

He was getting a hard-on from kissing Draco Malfoy! The realisation hit him like a ton of bricks. He tensed and tried to pull away, but Malfoy whispered: “Stop thinking.” and rolled on top of him. His thigh brushed against Harry's crotch and the younger boy gasped, arching into the contact without even meaning to.

The kiss grew even more heated and seemed to go on forever. Harry felt breathless when Malfoy's lips left his to trail over his jaw and up to his ear.  
“You're wearing too many clothes.” the blond complained suddenly, sitting up.

Harry blinked and struggled into a sitting position as well. For a moment they simply stared at each other. The blond was flushed, his pupils so dilated that his eyes looked nearly black. Malfoy was the first to move again. He gently removed Harry's glasses and put them down on the bedside table. With trembling hands the Gryffindor pulled off his jumper and threw it down to the floor. His school shirt joined the pile seconds later.

Malfoy pushed him back down and started attacking his throat and chest with kisses. The younger boy's eyes fluttered closed as he gave himself over to sensation. He hadn't expected it to be like this. Hadn't expected Malfoy to be so sweet and gentle. Hadn't expected his own raging emotions or the incredible pleasure.

Hands caressed his flanks, came to rest on his hips for a moment, before continuing their movement. Deft fingers undid the buttons of his jeans and his eyes flew open again. He lifted his hips almost involuntarily, allowing Malfoy to slide the jeans off his legs and discard them on the floor. The blond's eyes raked over him, coming to a stop at the very noticeable bulge in his boxer shorts. Harry flushed hotly in embarrassment.

“Take yours off, too.” he blurted without thinking, feeling strangely vulnerable lying there almost naked, while the older boy was still fully clothed.

The Slytherin got off the bed and started stripping without a word. He was pale and lean – like a statue carved from marble. Harry couldn't look away. His gaze dropped to the tight, blue underpants, which did nothing to hide the obvious bulge nor the wet patch that had formed at the front. His face felt like it was on fire, but he couldn't force his eyes away. Not even when Malfoy pulled the pants off.

Harry had seen other guy's dicks before. It was inevitable when sharing a dorm with four other boys and a changing room with the other blokes from his Quidditch team. But this was different. He'd only caught glimpses. But he'd never really looked. Never really felt the desire to look. But now he did.

Malfoy crawled back onto the bed and Harry forced himself to look at his face again.  
“Your turn.”  
And it was only fair, he supposed, so he pulled off his last piece of clothing as well, blushing even harder when his erection sprang free.

The Slytherin's hand closed around him hesitantly and he couldn't help but arch into the soft touch with a groan. No-one had touched him there before and it was so different from when he touched himself. Malfoy gave a few experimental strokes, growing bolder with each moan he wrung from Harry's throat. Their lips met in another heated kiss. 

After a while the blond pulled back, causing Harry to whimper. For the first time that night Malfoy's confidence seemed to waver. He looked almost shy, even as his hand trailed lower, lightly cupping Harry's buttock.

“Will you let me...?”

And suddenly the younger boy realized that it was his first time as well. No matter how confident he'd been acting. He was just as inexperienced as Harry was. And he realized something else. Malfoy had asked for permission. If he said no, the blond wouldn't go further. Strangely enough, the thought of saying no didn't even occur to him. It felt strangely right. Despite their past. Or maybe because of it. Maybe they had always been destined to end up here. Together.

“Yes.”

The blond looked surprised and like he couldn't quite believe it. Harry wondered if he understood that it was no longer about their bargain. This was about them. It had been about them from the beginning, he realized. He hadn't accepted because he'd been desperate to find out what the other boy was up to. He'd accepted because deep down he'd wanted this, though he'd been too scared to admit it, even to himself.

Malfoy's hands were moving again, caressing the insides of his thighs, making him squirm. He still looked like he couldn't quite believe this was really happening. Harry wanted to reassure him, but couldn't find any words.

“Turn over.” the blond ordered quietly.  
Harry complied, rolling over onto his front wordlessly.  
“Spread your legs a bit more.” Malfoy's voice sounded shaky.

Again Harry did as told, glad that he could hide his burning face in the pillow. He couldn't even imagine how he must look right now and just the knowledge that Malfoy was seeing him like this made him shudder.

He tried not to squirm as he waited for the Slytherin to make the next move. He seemed to be shifting around on the bed, but Harry had no idea what he was doing.

“Malfoy...”

A gentle hand trailed over his back in a soothing gesture and he found himself arching into the touch, like a cat begging to be petted.

“Don't you think...” the blond breathed against his neck, “...that you should call me Draco?”  
Harry exhaled shakily. “Draco.” he whispered back. The name rolled off his tongue like he'd just been waiting to finally use it. “Draco.”

The blond gasped behind him. His hands slid lower. “Harry.”   
The younger boy shuddered, sure that he'd never heard his name uttered with such reverence.   
The hands disappeared again and Draco shifted. Seconds later something wet dripped down the crack of Harry's ass and he jumped in shock.

“Shh... relax. It's just oil.” Draco whispered. And then a finger followed the oil, stroking along his cleft, coming to a stop when it reached the puckered opening. Harry gasped when the finger circled his hole, just massaging it for a moment, before dipping inside.

He tensed at the sudden intrusion, although it wasn't exactly painful. It only felt strange.   
“Relax.” Draco whispered again, caressing his flank with his free hand and the younger boy tried to comply.

The finger slid in further and he forced his muscles to relax. Forced himself to allow the intrusion and stop clenching. He exhaled shakily as he slowly got used to the feeling. Malfoy moved the finger in and out at a leisurely pace. It still felt a bit weird, but not bad. He only tensed for a moment when a second finger joined the first.

A tingling feeling spread through Harry's body, pooling in his groin. He shifted a little and the fingers brushed against a spot that made him see stars and cry out in pleasure. Draco froze for a second. The he repeated the movement, brushing that spot again and again.

Harry's hips started moving of their own volition, pushing back, trying to get more of that intense pleasure. His cock was rock-hard, trapped between his body and the mattress. Embarrassing, needy sounds were torn from his throat. Gasps and moans that sounded too loud in the silent room. It felt too good. He wanted “More.” 

He flushed hotly, realizing he'd said it aloud. Shocked at the needy quality of his own voice. Draco complied readily, adding a third finger, stretching him even further, before finally pulling them out. Harry whined at the loss.

“Come up on your knees.”

Draco's voice sounded strained. The Gryffindor struggled to comply, bracing his weight on his forearms. A hand gripped his hip, whether for support or to hold him in place, he didn't know. He felt the blunt tip of Draco's cock at his entrance. And then the blond was pushing into him.

It hurt, despite the preparation. Harry hissed, but forced himself to hold still and allow the intrusion. Draco only stopped once he was fully sheathed, giving them both time to get used to the feeling. The pain slowly ebbed away, replaced by a strange feeling of being full. The blond pulled out a little, before thrusting back in experimentally. 

“Okay?”

When Harry nodded he repeated the motion, changing the angle until he found that spot again that made Harry cry out in pleasure. Once he'd found it, he managed to hit it on every other thrust. Soon the younger boy was moaning and whimpering continuously, too far gone to even feel embarrassed about the sounds he was making. He pushed back to meet Draco's thrusts, the pleasure almost too much.

“Touch yourself.” the Slytherin ordered hoarsely.

Harry obeyed immediately,wrapping a hand around his cock. Two, three hard tugs was all it took. He came, harder than ever before, with Draco's name on his lips, only moments before the blond went still, his cock pulsing inside the younger boy.

Harry's arms gave out and he collapsed onto the mattress Draco slumped down on top of him. For long moments they just laid there, their heavy breathing the only sound. Harry shuddered when Draco's softening cock slipped out of him, leaving him feeling strangely empty.

The blond rolled over onto his back and the younger boy glanced at him. His hair was a dishevelled mess, strands of it sticking to his sweaty forehead. His lips were kiss-swollen and his eyes had a glazed look. Harry was sure he'd never seen anything more beautiful.

He held his breath when the blond turned to face him, unsure of what would happen now. Draco gave him a gentle smile, which made his stomach flutter. Then he sat up, grabbed his wand and Harry felt a cleaning spell washing over them. The lights dimmed when Draco pulled the covers over both of them. 

He rolled Harry onto his side and spooned against his back. The younger boy grinned. Just a couple of hours ago cuddling would've been the last thing he'd expected from Draco Malfoy. But this night had shown him that perhaps he didn't know the blond quite as well as he'd thought.

He closed his eyes and relaxed in the embrace. Somehow lying here like this, naked and cuddled together, with Draco's arm wrapped securely around his waist, felt even more intimate than what they'd done only minutes ago. And even more importantly: Harry felt safe. 

Which was completely ridiculous. Draco was a Death Eater. Harry had seen the Dark Mark on his arm, even if he'd been too distracted by all that naked skin to really focus on it. They'd been at each others throats since first year. 

And still Harry was somehow sure that the blond wouldn't hurt him. Whatever they'd been before had changed tonight. Everything had changed tonight. He didn't know what they were now. What would happen once this night was over. He was actually a bit scared of finding out. Sacred that he might be wrong and that things would go back to how they were. He didn't want to fight Draco any more. He couldn't.

“Stop thinking so loud and go to sleep.” the blond's voice cut through his panicked musings. He sounded sleepy and … almost fond. Harry sighed and tried to turn off his jumbled thoughts. It didn't work very well, but in the end Draco's soft breathing lulled him to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the lovely Reviews. And sorry I made you wait so long for the next chapter. I've been pretty busy with work. Of course more comments might inspire me to write faster next time....

When Harry woke up he experienced a brief flash of panic, because he didn't know where he was. Or why he was naked and why there was an equally naked bloke pressed against his back, for that matter. But then the events of last night came flooding back in bright detail. He was still in the room of requirement. With Draco Malfoy.

And lying here, cuddled together still felt .. nice. Comfortable and safe. The disconcerting realisation made him sit up and grope for his glasses. Once he'd found them on the bedside table and put them on, he hesitantly turned around.

Draco (for he would always be Draco now and no longer Malfoy, at least in Harry's head) was sitting up as well. He looked sleepy and rumpled and Harry felt that strange fluttering in his stomach again. For a moment they just stared at each other, obviously both a little uncertain. Then Draco turned away and grabbed his wand to cast a tempus.

Harry was surprised to discover that he'd slept the whole night through, without any nightmares or strange dreams.

“My friends will start wondering where I am if I don't show up to breakfast.” Draco finally broke the silence. “And I guess your merry band of Gryffindors will miss you as well.”

“I guess.” Harry agreed, wondering where this was going.  
“Okay. I suggest we both head down to breakfast. Separately, of course. And then meet here again in … two hours? I'll answer your questions then.”

Right. The bargain. Because that's all this was. Just a bargain, Harry reminded himself, feeling foolish that he'd actually forgotten.   
“Okay, sounds good.” 

Draco got out of bed and he quickly averted his eyes, only to hear the blond chuckle.  
“Don't you think it's a little late for modesty?”  
The younger boy blushed. “Would you rather I ogled you?”  
He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to face Draco again.  
“I wouldn't mind you looking.” the Slytherin whispered.

Harry's breath caught in his throat, whether from the words or the strangely open expression on the blond's face he didn't know. He felt the overwhelming urge to kiss the other boy. Which only intensified when Draco's gaze dropped to his lips. But it was a bad idea, he reminded himself. Just a bargain. Nothing more.

“Breakfast.” he blurted. “We should head to breakfast.”  
Draco's face hardened and he pulled his hand back. Harry missed the warmth immediately.  
“Right.”

***

Harry was among the first to enter the great hall, but he was soon joined by Hermione.  
“You're up early.” she remarked, before grabbing a piece of toast and burying her nose in a book. Harry made a non-committal noise and kept stealing glances at the Slytherin table. But Draco didn't look up from where he was picking at his food.

“Hey Harry. I thought you were still sleeping.”  
Harry ripped his gaze away from Draco to give Neville a quizzical look.  
“Your bed-curtains are still drawn.” the other boy explained.  
“Oh. Guess I forgot them.” he lied quickly, cursing himself for not stopping by his dorm first. He hadn't felt the need, since the room of requirement had provided them with a bathroom and a change of clothes.

Luckily Neville didn't question him further and Ron was still half-asleep by the time he finally joined them and therefore hadn't noticed anything amiss. 

“I'm going to the library.” Hermione announced suddenly.  
Harry didn't have to look up to know that Lavender had just arrived. He tuned out the chatter and barely even noticed when Lavender whisked Ron away to 'study'.

“Harry?”  
He jumped and found Neville looking at him in concern.  
“Are you okay?”  
“Yeah, sorry Neville. Just tuned out there for a minute.”  
“No problem. I was just asking if you wanted to play exploding snap with Seamus, Dean and me?” the other boy repeated.

“Sorry Neville, I can't. I... I promised Hermione to meet her in the library.” Shit, he really needed to stop lying to his friends. But it wasn't like he could tell Neville the truth.  
“Oh. That's okay. See you later then.”  
“Yeah, see you later.” Harry agreed with forced cheeriness.

A quick glance at the Slytherin table showed him that Draco had already left. With a sigh he got up as well.

***

When he reached the seventh floor he found the blond leaning against the wall next to a door.  
“You want to know what I do in there, right?”  
Harry nodded.  
“Let me show you.”

Draco opened the door and stepped inside. The younger boy followed with some trepidation. A part of him was suddenly scared of finding out. Once inside the room he stopped dead in his tracks and stared in awe. He'd never seen this version of the room of requirement before. It was huge and filled to the ceiling with mountains of junk. Harry saw teetering piles of broken and damaged furniture, thousands of books, bottles, hats, jewels, cloaks, several rusty swords and even a heavy, blood-stained axe.

“Come on. It's over there.” Draco's voice startled him out of his observations.

The blond led him through what appeared to be alleyways, bordered by all the stuff people must have hidden here for centuries. Finally they stopped in front of a large cupboard.

“Do you know what this is?”  
Harry squinted at it. It did look familiar, although he couldn't tell where he'd seen it before.  
“It's a vanishing cabinet.” the blond explained. “There's another one at Borgin and Burkes. They're … connected.”

The Gryffindor looked at him in shock. “You mean...”  
“This one is broken. But... if it worked right, it could serve as a secret passage into the school.” Draco confirmed, before adding more quietly: “I've been trying to fix it.”

“You wanted to let Death Eaters into the school.” Harry accused.  
Draco didn't deny it. Instead he pushed up the sleeve of his left arm. The younger boy looked at the ugly tattoo, trying not to flinch. 

“Did you take it willingly?”  
Draco huffed. “When there's a psychopath living in your home, threatening your family, you don't get to chose whether you want to join his little club or not.”  
“Is that a no?”  
“I had no choice, Potter. The Dark Lord doesn't ask if you want it. He decides that you get it.”

“And if you'd had a choice? Would you still have taken his mark?” he couldn't help asking. He just had to know.  
“No, I wouldn't.”  
Harry let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, incredibly relieved by the answer. Maybe there was still hope for Draco.

“Any other questions?”  
Harry's eyes darted to the cabinet and he shuddered.  
“Loads. But can we get out of here? That thing is giving me the creeps.”

The blond nodded and led him back outside. The door vanished as soon as they left the room, but another one appeared seconds later. Harry opened it and found himself back in the room from last night. He glanced at the bed and blushed, the memories rushing back full force.

“Is this okay?” Draco asked softly.  
The younger boy ripped his eyes away from the bed. “Yeah.”

They sat down in the squashy armchairs and he stared into the fire for a long moment, trying to gather his thoughts. Trying to find the right questions.

“The cursed necklace. That was you, wasn't it?” he asked finally, looking over at the Slytherin in time to see him flinch.  
“Yes.”  
“Who was it meant for?”

A slight hesitation. And then...  
“Dumbledore.”  
Harry blinked, caught by surprise once more. “Why?”  
“Because... because he ordered me to... kill … Dumbledore.”

The silence was so sudden and so complete that you could hear a pin drop. Harry had no idea what to say. Hesitantly Draco met his eyes again.

“I don't want to do it. I don't want to kill anyone. You've got to believe me.”  
And he looked so devastated and sincere that Harry did.  
“But why...”  
“He's got my mother. And he threatened to kill her, if I don't do what he wants. So... I had to make it look like I was at least trying to kill Dumbledore. I just wanted to buy time. To figure out what to do.”

“Katie got cursed.” the Gryffindor reminded angrily.

“She wasn't meant to. If she'd just delivered the bloody package, like she was supposed to, it would have been confiscated long before it even reached Dumbledore and no-one would've gotten hurt. I couldn't know that she'd be stupid enough to open it.”

“She wasn't. She fought over it with her friend and the package tore.”  
“Well, I couldn't have known that either.”

Harry sighed, massaging his throbbing temples, suddenly reminded why he spent half his time wanting to punch Malfoy. The blond looked at him and he tried to reign in his temper.

“So the cursed necklace was supposed to make it look like you're trying to kill Dumbledore?”  
“Yes.”  
“And then what...”  
“I need your help.” Draco cut him off.

“Excuse me?”  
“If there's anyone who can get mother and me out of this mess, it's you. I don't know who else to turn to.”

And suddenly it all clicked into place.  
“That's why you offered me the bargain.”  
“Yes.”  
Harry shook his head. “And you couldn't just ask for help like a normal person?”  
“I'm a Slytherin.” Draco said, like that explained everything.

“Is there a special rule that doesn't allow Slytherins to ask other people for help?”  
The blond huffed. “Don't be ridiculous, Potter. Of course there's no such rule.”  
God, this was like pulling teeth. “And why didn't you just ask then?”

“It would have been a blow to my pride, for one thing.” Draco muttered, surprisingly honest.  
“And if you turned it into a bargain, it wouldn't hurt your pride.” Harry concluded, wondering if Slytherins always complicated things like that. It sounded exhausting and he was once again glad that he'd talked the hat into putting him in Gryffindor.

“At least not as bad. And …and it also meant I might get to fulfil a long-time fantasy. If I got you to agree, that is. Which I didn't really think you would.”  
“What fantasy?”  
“Shagging you, of course.” Draco said matter-of-factly, causing the younger boy to splutter.  
“You... you fantasized about...”  
“I did.”

Their eyes met and Harry's mind flashed back to last night. Draco's lips on his, the older boy above him, inside him... He turned his head away and tried to push the memories from his mind.

“Okay. I'll help you. I'll... contact some people.” he promised, jumping to his feet.  
“Thank you.”  
He didn't dare look at the blond, afraid of what he might do. Just a bargain, he reminded himself yet again. But was it really? Draco had fantasized about him. And not just recently, judging by his words. What did that mean?

He walked to the door, needing to get away. Needing to think. Which he couldn't do in here, with the blond so close. And a bed. It was too tempting. But then he paused with his hand on the doorknob.

“Have you ever...?”  
Thankfully Draco seemed to understand. “No. Not before last night.”  
Harry nodded. He'd guessed as much. “Me neither.” he felt the need to say.  
Then he slipped out of the room without looking back.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry you had to wait so long for this update. And it's only a short chapter this time. Next (and last) one should be longer. I'll try to get it done by next Weekend.

Harry's first instinct was to tell Dumbledore, so he walked in the direction of the headmaster's office. But then he reconsidered and went to his dorm to get the two-way-mirror and contact Sirius instead, figuring that his godfather was less likely to ask uncomfortable questions. And he also never had the feeling that Sirius could read his thoughts, like he sometimes did with Dumbledore.

It turned out to be the right decision. Of course Sirius agreed to help and get the rest of the Order on board. He didn't ask too many questions, at least once Harry promised to tell him everything during the Christmas holidays.

The plan was quickly made and fairly simple. Narcissa would meet Draco at King's Cross, like she always did when he came home for Christmas. Only this time they would be taken to Grimmauld Place by members of the Order, instead of returning to Malfoy Manor. By the time Voldemort noticed anything amiss, they'd already be out of his reach. If everything went according to plan.

It was a good plan, Harry supposed. But he still kept fretting that something might go wrong. He didn't tell Ron and Hermione, afraid that they'd ask questions he didn't want to answer and already knowing they wouldn't understand, one way or another.

His mind kept replaying scenes of the night he'd spent with Draco and he suddenly found his nightmares replaced by very vivid wet dreams, starring the blond Slytherin. He spent every meal staring at Draco, but blushed and looked away whenever their eyes met. Like a love-sick school-girl, he chided himself. Only to continue staring. It was driving him insane and he was eternally grateful when term finally ended and they all took the train home.

He shared a compartment with Ron, who was too busy complaining about Lavender to notice that Harry kept fidgeting. The gate was bursting with people when they got off the train, even more so than usual. Harry accepted his hug from Mrs. Weasley, while he craned his head to look around. But before he could catch a glimpse of that familiar, platinum blond hair, Remus was there, whisking him away by side-along apparition.

Thankfully Draco and his mother appeared only minutes later, accompanied by Moody and Tonks and he breathed a sigh of relief that everything had worked out so far. The atmosphere was tense at first, but everyone seemed willing enough to get along. Narcissa gave up all the information on Voldemort she had and seemed resigned when Dumbledore reminded her that there was nothing he could do for her husband, who was still in his cell in Azkaban.

“He's made his choices and I made mine.” was all she said. Draco didn't seem overly sad about his father's absence either. Sirius had cleaned up one of the nicer guest-rooms for Narcissa, since it looked like she would be staying for quite a while. Draco got a small room right next to Harry's.

The younger boy spent the first night staring at the wall separating their rooms, the desire to go over there warring with the fear of being rejected. When his godfather wanted to know how exactly he'd gotten Draco to spill his secrets, he told him about following the blond by using the Marauder's Map and invisibility cloak, while silently praying that he wasn't blushing. Sirius seemed impressed enough and didn't push further.

Harry wasn't sure if he should feel happy or sad about it. On one hand he didn't want anyone to find out about his bargain with Draco. On the other hand he really wanted someone to talk to. With Sirius out of the question – because there was no way he wouldn't prod for the whole story, if Harry started spilling part of it – that really left only one option: He had to talk to Draco.

The decision was made quickly enough, but it took him two days to finally gather his famous Gryffindor courage and actually seek out the blond. Draco wasn't hard to find, seeing how he spent most of his time in his room. But once he'd stepped inside and found the Slytherin looking at him curiously, he had no idea what to say.

“I know I'm the prettiest thing in this house, but surely you didn't come here just to stare at me.” Draco drawled, obviously annoyed by Harry's continued silence.

And suddenly words tripped off his tongue. Words he hadn't meant to say, though they were true nonetheless.  
“You said I'd come back for more.”  
The blond's eyes widened in understanding and he slowly got off the bed.   
Harry swallowed hard. “You were right.”

They stared at each other for a second longer. Then Draco moved lightning fast. Harry found himself pressed back against the door, while the blond's lips descended onto his. He returned the kiss with equal passion and decided that he didn't need to talk after all. He just needed this.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the last chapter. Not sure if I'm really happy with it, but I didn't want to keep you waiting any longer. Please let me know what you think.

Harry looked up from his book when Sirius flopped onto the couch next to him.  
“So... you and Draco, huh?”

The boy blushed, casting a quick look around. The library was deserted. Most Order members were spending the holidays at home with their families. Aside from Narcissa and Draco, who were currently upstairs, playing chess, only Remus had stayed, stating that Sirius was his family. Harry was happy that the two men had each other. 

He shrugged, hesitantly meeting Sirius' eyes. “Hmmm..”  
They still hadn't talked about it. And they hadn't told anyone. But they weren't doing much to keep it secret either. Of course his godfather would have noticed that he spent his nights in Draco's room.

“Don't look so scared, Prongslet.” Sirius chided. “I'm not here to give you a lecture. You're old enough to know what you're doing. I'm just a bit surprised, is all.”

“Me too.” Harry had to admit. Who would've thought that their mutual animosity would give way to something vastly different? Well, Draco might have. He'd fantasized about Harry after all. While the whole thing had been a true revelation for the Gryffindor. 

“So how did it happen?”  
Another shrug. “I'm not sure, really. He cornered me one day, when I was spying on him and then it just .. sort of … happened.” he claimed, not ready to tell anyone the truth. He never would be, he guessed.

Surprisingly enough, Sirius accepted his weird non-answer with one of his barking laughs. “Just couldn't resist him, huh? Must be the Black genes.” he joked.  
Harry smiled wryly. “Yes, I'm sure that's it.”

“I don't suppose you have any questions?” Sirius suddenly wanted to know, sobering a little.  
“Questions?”  
“Well, Moony figured it was high time I gave you the Talk. But judging from the sounds I heard coming from my little cousins room last night, I guess I'm a little late for that.”

Harry's face felt like it was on fire. Oh Merlin! Sirius had heard them? He was going to die from mortification. He was sure of it. And the older man even had the audacity to laugh at his discomfort. 

“So... questions?” he needled.  
“No, thanks. I've … got it all figured out, I think.” Harry muttered.

After spending pretty much every night of Christmas break (and a good part of some days) in bed with Draco, exploring each other's bodies and allowing the blond to bend him into seemingly impossible positions, he was rather confident about his knowledge of gay sex. Not that he'd ever say as much to his godfather. He'd never live it down and Sirius was having way too much fun with this as it was.

“Do you think of making it public?” the animagus asked.  
“I don't know.” Harry answered honestly. “I... I don't even know what it even is.” he admitted. 

They still hadn't talked about it. They'd spent a lot of time together over the break and he enjoyed the Slytherin's company, even when it didn't lead to sex. He also knew that they needed to talk about it, but he was scared of bringing it up. Scared that it might change things and that he might lose the blond. Because it had stopped being just sex. At least for Harry.

“What do you want it to be?”  
“I... I don't know.”  
“You like him a lot, don't you?” Sirius asked softly.  
“Yes, I do.”

And that was the problem. Harry wanted more than sex. He wanted a relationship. But could it even work? With their history and all the odds against them? And would Draco even want to try?

“Have you talked about it at all?”  
“No.” Harry admitted.  
“You should.”  
“It's not easy.”  
“I know it's not.”

“I don't want to lose him.” the boy whispered.  
“Even more reason to talk to him. Not talking only leads to misunderstandings. And those can destroy everything. Take it from someone who knows.” Sirius said, smiling sadly.

“Did you...?”  
“Moony and I. We were already together before the war. But I wasn't big on talking either and with everything that was going on...”  
“He thought you betrayed my parents.” Harry remembered.  
“And I thought he was the spy in our midst. We both assumed the worst and it tore us apart.”

He shook his head and some of the melancholy seemed to drain from his face. “We got a second chance. But you might not be so lucky. So talk to the boy, while there's still time.”

“What if he doesn't want me?” Harry asked.  
“He'd be a fool.”  
“But what... what if it doesn't work out?”  
“Then you've at least tried. That's all you can do.”

The boy nodded slowly, wondering when his hot-headed godfather had gotten so damn wise. It was probably Remus' calming influence. 

The older man got up and playfully ruffled his hair. “Be brave, little Gryffindor. And don't let others stand in the way of your happiness. It doesn't matter what your friends say or what the rest of the world thinks. It only matters what you feel.” he advised, heading for the door, just as Draco appeared in the doorway.

“Good day, little cousin.” the animagus said cheerfully, trying to ruffle his hair in passing and laughing when the blond ducked out of the way. Draco shook his head and sat down next to Harry.

“Your godfather is weird.”  
“I know.”  
“And his house is creepy.”  
“I know.”

“Still a pity Christmas break is almost over. We'll be back at Hogwarts in two days.” the blond complained with a sigh.  
“You'd rather stay at my weird godfather’s creepy house?”  
“It has its merits.”  
“Yeah? Like what?”

The blond cast a quick look around, obviously checking that they were alone. Then he whispered: “Like this.” and leaned over to kiss Harry. 

The younger boy smiled when they broke apart, trying to ignore the nervous fluttering of his stomach. Sirius was right. They needed to talk. He had to try. And now was as good a time as any. Which unfortunately didn't make it any easier to breach the subject. He leaned his head against Draco's shoulder, feeling a little braver while he wasn't looking at the blond directly.

“What happens when we get back to Hogwarts? With us, I mean.”  
He could feel Draco tense, but still didn't look at him.  
“Things go back to how they were before, I guess.”  
“Oh.”

Disappointment hit hard. Harry struggled to find words. But what was he even supposed to say? It sounded like Draco had already made up his mind.

“Why? What did you think would happen?”  
“I don't know. I thought .. maybe we could... sort of … keep meeting?”  
“What?”  
“Not.. not in public or anything.” Harry hurried to assure. “Just...”

“You thought we'd ignore each other and secretly meet at the room of hidden things for a quick shag every now and then?” the blond asked snidely.  
“We could.” the younger boy answered uncertainly.

Which was obviously the wrong thing to say, because Draco pushed him away and got to his feet, glaring down at him.  
“Fuck you, Potter!” he spat angrily.  
Harry stared up at him in shock. “What...”

“That's all I am to you, huh? Just a shag. Merlin, I've been such a fool!”  
“What are you...” Harry tried.  
Only to be interrupted again: “Sorry to disappoint you, oh Chosen One. But I'm not going to be your dirty little secret.”  
“I never asked you to!” the younger boy snapped back, jumping to his feet as well.

“No? It sure sounded like it just now, when you wanted us to keep shagging in secret.”  
“I didn't mean... You were the one who suggested it!”  
“I did no such thing!”

“Yes, you did! I only agreed because I thought that's what you wanted!”  
“Why the hell would I want that?!”  
“How am I supposed to know? You're the one who said it!”  
“Well I don't want that, okay?!”  
“What do you want then?”  
“I want you!”

And just like that the anger drained out of Harry. The mad urge to punch Draco was suddenly gone, as he stared at the blond helplessly, wondering if he'd understood correctly this time. Sirius hadn't been lying about misunderstandings.

“You mean you want … a relationship?” he asked cautiously.  
Draco crossed his arms over his chest defensively, averting his eyes. “Yes.”  
“With me?”  
“No, with Snape. Of course with you, you daft prick!”

Harry grinned, despite the insult.   
But Draco wasn't done talking. “I know it's stupid, but...”  
“It's not stupid.” the younger boy assured. “I want that, too.”  
The blond looked up again. “Really?”  
“Yes, really.”

They smiled at each other and leaned in for a kiss, when...

“Glad you boys got that sorted.”

They jumped apart and turned to find Sirius grinning at them from the doorway.   
“You know, Harry... when I said talk to him, I actually meant talking. Not shouting the whole house down. But whatever works for you, I guess.”

The dark-haired boy blushed, realizing that they had indeed been shouting at each other at the top of their lungs. And of course his godfather had heard them.

“Come down to the kitchen, once you're done kissing and making up. Narcissa insists that we need to have tea together, since we're all family now.” the animagus let them know, before disappearing again.

Harry looked at Draco uncertainly. “Guess that means your mother heard us, too.”  
“Guess so.” the blond agreed with a shrug. “If it makes you feel any better, she knew already. And I guess so did your godfather.”

The Gryffindor nodded. “So... you really mean it? You want to give us a try?” he asked again. Just needing to be sure.  
“Yes, I do.” Draco assured.  
“Good. Cause I want that, too.”

“It's not going to be easy.” the blond warned.  
“I know.”  
“I mean, quite aside from your friends, or my friends for that matter, everyone will have an opinion. You're the boy-who-lived. And I'm a Death Eater.”

“You were a Death Eater. And never willingly.” Harry corrected.  
“Won't matter to some people.”  
“I don't care what people think.”  
“Good.”  
“And my friends will come around.”

Draco gave him a doubtful look.  
“They will. Okay, Ron's going to have a fit and Hermione will lecture me endlessly. But they'll come around eventually.”

“If you say so.” the blond still sounded doubtful.  
“I do say so.”  
“Okay then.”  
“What about your friends?”  
“They'll accept it, as long as I'm happy.”  
“I have to make sure to keep you happy then.”  
“You'd better.”

“We're still going to fight, aren't we?” Harry wondered.  
“Of course we're going to fight. As much as I enjoy kissing you, there are still times I'd rather punch you in the face.”  
“Likewise.”

“Fighting isn't so bad.” Draco claimed.  
“It's not?”  
“It's what we do.”  
“I guess...”  
“And fighting means make-up sex.”  
“Oh.”  
“Quite. And now come on, we shouldn't keep mother waiting.”

Harry sighed as he followed Draco out of the library and down to the kitchen. He didn't look forward to having to face Mrs. Malfoy, along with Sirius and Remus, knowing they had witnessed their little shouting match. But there was nothing for it.

“Come on. Mother won't bite you.”  
“It's more the embarrassment I'm worried about.”  
“You'll survive.”  
“You can't know that.”

Draco gave him a speculative glance.  
“I'm good with excuses. I could get us out of there quickly.” he offered.  
“Sounds good.”  
“Of course I'm not going to do it out of the goodness of my heart...”  
Harry grinned, catching on. “How about a bargain?”  
“I might be persuaded.”


End file.
